Close Menu
Richard C . Witmer, PhD

Professor

Contact

RichardWitmer@creighton.edu
College of Arts and Sciences
Political Science
EPLY - Eppley Building - 329

Richard C . Witmer, PhD

Professor

Dr. Witmer is the Rev. John P. Schlegel, SJ, Distinguished Professor in Politics and Government in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Creighton University.  His teaching and research interests include American Politics and American Indian Politics, Policy and Law as well as US-Cuba relations. His research, which focuses on the intersection of American Indian politics and policy, intergovernmental relations and American Politics, has been published in numerous political science journals including the Journal of Politics, Political Research Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, PS:Political Science and Politics, Politics, Groups and Identities, The Social Science Journal, the Indigenous Policy Journal, Human Rights Review, Politics and Policy, and International Politics.  Dr. Witmer was also lead editor of a special issue on Indigenous Politics in The Journal of Race, Ethnicity and Politics.
He has also published articles in Law Journals including The Scholar: St. Mary’s Law Review on Minority Issues, Creighton Law Review and Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation.  Dr. Witmer is co-author of Forced Federalism: Contemporary Challenges to Indigenous Nationhood, (with Jeff Corntassel) University of Oklahoma Press, 2008 (paperback 2011).  He has also co-authored Report on the Resolution of Outstanding Property Claims between Cuba and the US (with Patrick Borchers, Michael Kelly, Erika Moreno, and James Wunsch) Creighton University Press 2007. He is also co-editor of The Cuba-US Bilateral Relationship: New Pathways and Policy Choices, (with Erika Moreno and Michael Kelly) Oxford University Press 2019.
 

Teaching Interests

  • American Politics, American Indian Politics, Policy and Law

Research Focus

American Indian Politics, Policy and Law; Intergovernmental Relations; American Politics

Department

Political Science and International Relations

Position

Professor

Books

  • The New Politics of Indian Gaming: The Rise of Reservation Interest Groups
    Boehmke, Frederick, Witmer, Richard C. Tribal Political Expenditures in California. 2011

Articles

  • Social Science Quarterly
    Witmer, Richard C., Johnson, Joshua, Boehmke, Frederick J. American Indian Policy in the States
    95, p. 1043-1063 2014
  • PS: Political Science and Politics
    “Promoting Student Learning and Scholarship through Undergraduate Research Journals.” Co-authored with Mack Mariani, Fiona Buckley and T. Reidy.
    46, 4, p. 830-5 2013
  • Political Research Quarterly
    “Indian Nations as Interest Groups: Tribal Motivations for Contributions to U.S. Senators”. Coauthored with Frederick Boehmke.
    65, 1, p. 179-91 2012
  • Journal of Politics
    Boehmke, Frederick J., Branton, Regina P., Dillingham, Gavin, Witmer, Richard C. Close Enough for Comfort? The Spatial Structure of Interest and Information in Ballot Measure Elections
    74, p. 827-1839 2012
  • Political Research Quarterly
    Boehmke, Frederick J., Witmer, Richard Indian Nations as Interest Groups: Tribal Motivations for Contributions to U.S. Senators
    65, p. 179-191 2012
  • Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Minority Issues
    Witmer, R. C., Grieser, A., Jaques, P. Reconsidering religion policy as violence: Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Association
    10, p. 373-395 2008
  • Creighton Law Review
    Borchers, Patrick J., Kelly, Michael J., Moreno, Erika, Witmer, Richard C., Wunsch, James S., Pearlstein, Arthur Executive summary: Report on the resolution of outstanding property claims between Cuba & the United States
    41, p. 207-218 2008
  • Cuban Affairs
    Witmer, Richard C., Moreno, Erika, Borchers, Patrick J., Kelly, Michael J. A proposed property claims settlement mechanism for the United States and Cuba
    2, p. 11-Jan 2007
  • Social Science Journal
    Witmer, Richard C., Boehmke, Frederick J. American Indian political incorporation in the post-Indian Gaming Regulatory Act era
    44, p. 127-145 2007

Publications

  • Journal of Politics
    “Close Enough for Comfort? The Spatial Structure of Interest and Information in Ballot Measure Elections.” Co-authored with Frederick Boehmke, Gina Branton and Gavin Dillingham.
    74, 3, p. 827-41 2012

Editing and Reviews

  • Chronicles of Oklahoma
    Witmer, Richard C. Dammed Indians Revisited
    89 2011

Presentations

  • "Comparing American Indian Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Programs and Indian Health Service Compacts: Tribal Culture and Capacity in the Self-Determination Era." American Political Science Association Meeting, Washington, DC, August 28-31, 2014. 2014
  • "American Indian Self-Governance: Tribal Agreements with the Indian Health Service." Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, IL, April 2-6, 2014. 2014
  • "Self-Determination, Self-Governance and the Challenges of Federal Oversight." Mid-America American Studies Association Conference, February 28-March 1, 2014, with Margaret OConnor (Creighton Student). 2014
  • Research Presentation. January 30, 2014 at Bucknell University Public Policy Institute, "American Indian Self-Governance: Tribal Agreements with the Indian Health Service". 2014
  • "American Indian Policy and State Institution Creation." American Political Science Association Meeting, Chicago, IL, August 29-September 1, 2013, with Joshua Johnson. 2013
  • "The Impact of Spatial Exposure on Turnout in Ballot Elections." State Politics and Policy Conference, Iowa City, IA, May 24-25, 2013, with Fred Boehmke and Gina Branton. 2013
  • "Symbolic Politics or Substantive Policy? American Indian Legislation in the States." Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, IL, April 2013, with Fred Boehmke and Josh Johnson. 2013
  • "Adaptive Incorporation: American Indian Political Behavior in the Forced Federalism Era." American Political Science Association, New Orleans, LA, September, 2012. 2012
  • "American Indian Adaptive Incorporation." Presented at the Midwest Political Science Association Meeting, Chicago, IL, April, 2012. 2012
  • Research Presentation. January 23, 2012 at University of New Mexico School of Public Policy, "American Indian Policy in the American States". 2012

Awards

  • Political Science Professor of the Year
    Political Science Majors of Creighton University
};